Christmas, the Season of Giving

“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving”- Mother Teresa

There are a lot of traditions practiced during Christmas. Families gather for reunions, children get creative with making their own gingerbread houses, and some even go around their neighborhood to do some caroling. One of the more popular traditions that everyone practices is gift-giving. Christmas gifts are usually placed under the Christmas tree and opened during Christmas Eve (December 24). However, more than just giving it to close family and friends, a lot of people take this opportunity to extend help to charities and people in need.

History of Christmas Gift Giving

Gift-giving first became part of Christmas celebrations in the United Kingdom and other Christian countries. However, this was not done on Christmas Eve but early in Advent, on Saint Nicholas Day (December 6). This tradition was linked to the story of the Biblical Magi giving gifts to baby Jesus, along with another story about Saint Nicholas, a fourth-century Christian bishop and gift-giver. The early Christian rulers interpreted this story as their subjects giving gifts to their superiors, and insisted on tributes and tithes during that period. This is so different from what we are used to today where everyone is free to give and receive gifts no matter their position in society. The turning point was during the millennium following the popularity of the Good King Wenceslas story based on the life of Saint Wenceslaus, who claimed to be a gift-giver. Gift-giving to superiors then became less common and the custom of giving gifts to children was gaining popularity in Europe around the time of the Protestant Reformation. By the end of the 19th century, Christmas Eve was known to be the most common date for gift-giving in the Western culture. This is what is practiced by people today.

Joy in giving

“Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more.”- H. Jackson Brown Jr.

A study conducted by a Harvard Business School professor Michael Norton and colleagues found that sharing money with other people uplifted the participants’ joy rather than spending it on themselves. When you hear the words “Thank you!” or “I really love this!” with a smile, what do you feel? The fact that you have made a difference in someone’s life no matter how small or big the gift is, can be heartwarming. As much as it may give us joy to buy gifts for ourselves, there is also great joy in being able to share our blessings with other people.

Meaningful Gifts

“The manner of giving shows the character of the giver, more than the gift itself”- J.C. Lavater

Oftentimes, when we are brainstorming about what gifts to buy, we tend to focus more on buying luxurious or big gifts. This year, why not think about gifts that are sustainable and help communities. Aside from the person receiving your gifts, you are also giving back to the environment and being a part of a positive community transformation. Coco Veda focuses on empowering women through our all-women operations team, whom we upskill and train. We also provide sustainable income for Farmer Communities. Furthermore, our products are sustainable, made with reusable, refillable and recyclable packaging. The products are also waterless which means you only need a few drops to lather and a bottle can go a long way. We do not use any machinery since it is all handcrafted, avoiding any pollution to the environment. 

Features

This December, we have released our exclusive Holiday Bundles which have been featured on several platforms. These Holiday Bundles are a perfect gift to fill the Christmas Tree as they are not only great health and wellness products, but they are also eco-friendly and uplifts communities. Here is a list of our Holiday Bundles along with the articles and blogs:

Holiday Bundles:

1. You Glow Glen Coco
2. Starry Night Routine
3. Santa Baby
4. Coco Comfort
5. You like my hair, gee thanks!
6. No-Body Should Miss This
7. Founder’s Faves

Articles and Blogs:

1. Amazing “Consciously-made” Gift Ideas this Christmas – mommywithagoal.com
2. Clozette.co
3. Our List of The Very Best, And Most Amazing Christmas Gifts For ‘Her’ This Year! – Lifestyle Collective

Christmas Campaign Video